Highlights:

Won first career GRC Lites start in Phoenix

Bio:

Will Miki Weckstrom be the next Finnish phenomenon to break out in GRC Lites?

Olsbergs MSE certainly thinks so, having signed the Espoo native to join defending champion Oliver Eriksson and Cole Keatts on its Lites roster. Weckstrom becomes the most recent Finn to drive for one of Red Bull Global Rallycross’ most legendary teams, following Marcus Gronholm, Toomas Heikkinen, and Joni Wiman.

He’ll have a tall task trying to replicate the success that Wiman has had since coming to rallycross, no doubt. An ex-Formula Renault driver, Wiman swept the inaugural Lites championship in 2013 before joining OMSE’s Supercar squad and riding consistent results to his second title in just two years.

But Weckstrom’s karting and formula background is similar to Wiman’s, and he’s already made his mark in the 310-horsepower Lites car. Despite missing the first race of the 2016 RallyX On Ice season, Weckstrom made it to the main event in his debut and ended up seventh in the standings when all was said and done—right between Red Bull GRC superstars Patrik Sandell and Sebastian Eriksson on the points table.

As a rookie, Weckstrom will have a tough task adapting to all-new tracks. But many of this year’s Lites drivers are in the same boat, and the series’ ever-evolving course design ensures that he’ll be on a level playing field even with the returning drivers. On the few courses that return with similar designs, he’ll have Eriksson to lean on; the defending champion took a podium at all four of this year’s returning venues during the 2015 season.

With a strong team around him and the raw speed to get up front, Weckstrom has a strong chance at becoming the top rookie driver in Lites in 2016. Even though it’ll be his first season competing on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, expect him to contend for multiple wins and podium finishes throughout the year.